I clobbered someone at work, and thankfully, I did not get fired or arrested.

I was walking with my head down. His feet were moving in my direction, yet his head was focused on someone over his shoulder. Our paths crossed. My skull connected with his eye socket, and he sported a shiner for three days. I incurred a blow to both my head and to my ego. Did I mention it was my first week on the job?

Now, this is not your average embarrassing moment; I’m an overachiever. I’m not sharing this experience to brag, but to let you know if I was able to show up the next day, you too can bounce back from embarrassing moments at work.

So, let’s share some moments and laugh at (I mean with) one another:

• Spilling coffee, tea, water, and/or food down the front of pants or tops, onto conference room tables, your desk, or your coworkers.
• Arriving to work with two different shoes.
• Holding up the line because the key reader will not read your badge.
• Having something in your teeth.
• Tripping in front of others.
• Neglecting to turn your cell phone to silent or vibrate, and it rings (loudly) during a meeting with your boss. Because it only rings during a meeting with your boss.
• Having a bit of road rage to find out the driver is a colleague or manager.

Since crawling under a rock will not advance your career or erase your embarrassing moment, you must find ways to rise above it.

• As you are picking yourself off the floor or wiping the pizza sauce from your new shirt, remember it happens to everyone. You are not so special that the universe only picks on you.
• Apologize when necessary.
• Thank the universe it wasn’t worse.

Embarrassing moments at work are practically a job requirement. Don’t panic when the moment or moments are upon you. Take a breath, collect your wits, and move on with your workday. Believe me, your embarrassing moment will go from being a nightmare you are ashamed to speak of to a funny story you can’t wait to share… eventually.